LAKE COUNTY – For the third year, the Lake County Arts Council will be participating in Poetry Out Loud (POL), a national recitation contest sponsored through a partnership with the California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and the state and jurisdictional arts agencies of the United States.

California's Poetry Out Loud competition builds on the resurgence of poetry as an art form and, as seen in the slam poetry and hip-hop music movements, by inviting the dynamic aspects of the spoken word and theater into the classroom.

Students in grades nine through 12 have the opportunity to learn about the great poets through memorization and performance, giving them an opportunity to master public speaking, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.

Instructors have the opportunity to guide the students while fulfilling their teaching requirements and adding a new dimension to the classroom. Students may also be home schooled or enrolled in an alternative teaching program, as was Rachael Weiss, the winner of the 2008 Lake County competition.

The competition works on a pyramid structure with first the school competition, and then with the winner proceeding to the county competition and then on to state competition.

First place at the state competition receives $200, and the school receives $500 for poetry books. The runner up receives $100 and the school $200 for poetry books. The first place contestant continues on to the national competition in Washington D.C.

If you'd like to learn more about POL, please call Michael Krueger at 707-928-6768 or visit the California Arts Council's Web site, www.cac.ca.gov .